A passport, visa, and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required.  Travelers are urged to obtain the latest information on customs and entry requirements from the Embassy of The Gambia, 1156 15th Street, N.W., Suite 905, Washington, D.C. 20005, tel. (202) 785-1399 and 1359; or from the Permanent Mission of The Gambia to the U.N. at 820 Second Avenue, Suite 900 - C, New York, N.Y. 10071, tel. (212) 949-6640.  Overseas, inquiries should be made at the nearest Gambian embassy or consulate.  See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on The Gambia and other countries.  Visit the embassy of The Gambia web site at www.gambiaembassy.us for the most current visa information.

For entry and exit requirements pertaining to dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction, read our information at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1469.html.  For Customs Information see http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1468.html.

Travelers driving a vehicle in The Gambia should stop at all roadblocks or road checkpoints and proceed only when instructed by security personnel. Drivers should not reverse direction to avoid a road checkpoint or make any movements that may be viewed as suspicious or provocative by security personnel.  Drivers should not proceed through a road checkpoint when signaled to stop.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, including the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of States urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.  For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html.

Petty street crime is a problem in The Gambia.  Travelers should be careful of pickpockets in crowded market areas and on ferries.  Packages or luggage should never be left unattended, especially in taxis.  U.S. citizens in The Gambia should be careful not to leave valuables or identity documents unsecured in hotel rooms or cars.  Travelers should also be cautious of individuals who persistently offer unsolicited help.

Visitors and resident U.S. citizens have reported residential and automobile burglaries. Although violent crime and armed robbery are not prevalent in The Gambia, long-term residents should consider hiring a security guard for their home to prevent burglary and theft.

Business fraud, long associated with other parts of West Africa, is on the rise in The Gambia.  Con artists lure foreigners into what may appear to be a legitimate business transaction only for the purpose of obtaining bank account information, credit card numbers, and personal data.  They then use this information to defraud victims or obtain funds in their name.  U.S. citizens should be very suspicious and skeptical of any unsolicited offers to participate in lucrative business opportunities, especially if they require financial data, money transfers, large up-front investments, or promises of confidentiality.  The best way to avoid becoming a victim of fraud is common sense – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.  You should carefully check out any unsolicited business proposal originating in The Gambia before you commit any funds, provide any goods or services, or undertake any travel.  For additional information, please see the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, Advance Fee Business Scams, available at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov.

There are known cases of foreigners' credit card numbers being sent abroad and their accounts accessed without their knowledge.  U.S. citizens have also reported their credit and ATM card numbers stolen after purchases at local stores or withdrawals from ATM machines in The Gambia.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:  The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.  If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.  The Embassy staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred.  Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

See our information on Victims of Crime at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1748.html .

Medical facilities in The Gambia are very limited, some treatments are unavailable, and emergency services can be unpredictable and unreliable.  Travelers should carry their own supplies of prescription drugs and preventive medicines.  See the “Special Circumstances” section below for further information on prescription drugs.  Because malaria is a serious risk to travelers to The Gambia, please note carefully the following paragraph.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC's Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel.  For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en.  Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

 

While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning The Gambia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Travel in The Gambia is difficult because of poor road conditions, particularly during the rainy season, June through October.  Although a few main roads are paved in the greater Banjul area, most are poorly maintained and poorly lit.  Drivers and pedestrians should exercise extreme caution to prevent accidents.  Most roads outside the capital are unpaved.  The U.S. Embassy urges visitors driving outside the capital to travel with a recognized travel guide.
 
Water transportation in the region can be unpredictable and risky.  Ferries rarely keep to their posted schedules.  They are often overcrowded and rarely carry life preservers for all passengers.  In particular, the wooden dugout "pirogues" that cross the Gambia River often leave shore overloaded and occasionally sink in the middle of the river.  U.S. citizens who must travel to the north bank of the Gambia River are advised to use the Banjul-Barra or Yelitenda-Farafenni ferries, which are slower but safer than the privately operated pirogues.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1179.html.

As there is no direct commercial air service between the United States and The Gambia, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed The Gambia's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards.  For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's Internet web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

Service provided by several western African regional air carriers is reportedly unreliable.  The airlines are known to alter scheduled stops, cancel or postpone flights on short notice, and regularly overbook flights.  Newer regional airlines occasionally book seats on flights before they have the aircraft to fly them.  Travelers may experience unexpected delays even after checking in, and should be prepared to handle alternate ticketing and/or increased food and lodging expenses.

In addition to being subject to all of The Gambia's laws affecting U.S. citizens, Americans who are also Gambian citizens under their law may be subject, while in The Gambia, to certain aspects of Gambian law.  Those who might be affected should inquire at a Gambian Embassy or Consulate regarding their status.  In some instances, dual nationality may hamper U.S. Government efforts to provide protection abroad.

The Gambia has strict laws on the import and export of skin-bleaching creams and some medications.  Visitors who arrive with substances containing hydroquinone, hydrocortisone, betamethasone, flucinonide, clobestatol, or clobestatone are subject to fines up to $2,000 and/or three years imprisonment.  Airport police and customs officials routinely inspect incoming and outgoing luggage.  Travelers in possession of prescription drugs should carry proof of their prescriptions, such as labeled containers.  Police have, on occasion, arrested foreigners carrying unlabeled pills.  For a complete list of prohibited items, please contact the nearest Gambian embassy or consulate.
 
Travelers should not photograph airports or military installations.

Gambian currency, the dalasi, is freely convertible but is not widely available outside the country.  The Gambia is a cash economy and travelers should carry sufficient currency to cover the expenses of a planned visit.  Visitors can exchange currency at banks or exchange bureaus; credit cards are accepted only at major hotels and grocery stores and a few up-scale restaurants.  Personal checks from U.S. citizens are accepted only at exchange bureaus and only from Americans who are resident in The Gambia.  There are a few ATMs in the country and they often malfunction.  Due to credit card and bank fraud in western Africa, travelers are advised not to use credit cards, personal checks, and ATMs.  Money transfers are widely available at Western Union branch offices in The Gambia.  Changing money unofficially is prohibited and individuals who do so may face prosecution.

Please see our information on customs regulations at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1468.html.